<^^^  OF  Pmlcr^ 


1.  \n.^i 


'Y> 


THE  o^f*^.  ffi^^M^^M^ 

testimony''' 

Of  the 

TrefiJent^  ProfeforSy  Tutors  and  Hebren^ 
Inftru^or  ot  HARVARD  COLLEGE  in 
Cavibridge^ 

Agalnft  the  Reverenvd 

i 
Mr.  George  Whitefiela^ 

And  his  Condud, 


B    0    S    T    0    Ny    Y{.^. 

Printed  and  fold  By  ^.  Fleet,  at  the  Umt  and  Cro'wn. 
in  Cornhlil.  1744. 


"^ 


y 


Korjl.iiv 


I 


(  3  ) 
THE 

T  E  S  T  I  M  O  N  Y,  c^^. 


N  regard  of  the  Danger  which  we  apprehend  the 
People  and  Churches  of  this  Land  are  in,  qh  the 
Account  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  George  Whitejield^  we  have 
tho'c  ourfelves  oblig'd  to  bear  our  Teftimony,  in 
this  public  Manner,  againft  him  and  his  Way  of  Preach- 
ing, as  tending  very  niuch  to  the  Detriment  of  Religion, 
and  the  entire  Dcftrudion  of  the  Order  ot  thefe  Churches 
of  Chrift,  which  our  Fathers  have  taken  fuc4  Care  and 
Pains  to  fettle,  as  by  the  Platform,  according  to  which  the 
Difcipline  of  the  Churches  of  New  England  is  regulated  : 
And  we  do  therefore  hereby  declare,  That  we  look  upon 
his  going  about,  in  an  Itinerant  Way,  efpecially  as  he  hath 
fo  much  of  an  enthufiaitic  Turn,  utterly  inconfiftent  with 
the  Peace  and  Order,  if  not  the  very  Being  of  thele 
Churches  of  Chrill. 

And  now,  inafmuch  as  by  a  certain  Faculty  he  hath  of 
raifing  the  Pafllons,  he  hath  been  the  Means  of  roufing 
many  from  their  Stupidity,  and  fetting  them  on  thinking, 
whereby  forne  may  have  been  made  really  better,  on 
which  Account  the  People,  many  of  them,  are  ilrongly 
attached  to  him  (cho*  it  is  moft  evident,  that  lie  hath  not 
any  fuperior  Talent  at  intruding  the  Mind,  or  fliewing 
the  Force  and  Energy  of  thofe  Arguments  for  a  religious 
Life,  which  are  direded  to  in  the  everlafting  Gofpel) 
Therefore^  that  ti;c  People  who  are  thus  attached  to  him, 

A  2  may 


(4) 

imay  not  take  %  an  unreafonable  Prejudice  againft  this 
our  Teftimony,  we  think  it  very  proper  to  give  fome 
Reafons  for  it,  which  we  Hiall  offer,  refpe<5ling  the  Man 
himfeif,  and  then  his  Way  and  Manner  of  Preach- 
ing. 

Firft^  as  to  the  Man  himfelf,  whom  we  look  upon  as 
an  Enthiifiaft,  acenforious,  uncharitable  Perfon,  and  a  De- 
luder  of  the  People ;  which  Things,  if  we  can  make,  out, 
all  reafonable  Men  will  dpubtlefs  excufe  us,  tho*  fome  fuch, 
thro' a  fafcinating  Curiofity,  may  (liU  continue  their  Attach- 
ment to  him. 

Firfl:  then,  we  charge  him,  with  Enihttfiafm,    Now  that    . 
we  may  fpeak  clearly  upon  this  Head,  we  mean  by  an  En- 
ihiifmft^  one  that  a<^s,  either  according  to  Dreams,  or  fome 
fudden  Impulfes  and  Imprf^fTions  upon  his  Mind,  which  he' 
fondly  imagines  to  be  from  the  Spirit  of  God,  perfwading 
and  inclining  him  thereby  to  fuch  and  fuch  A(5lions,  tho*  he 
hath   no  Proof  that   fuch  Perfv/afions  or  Imprefrions   are 
from  the  holy  Spirit:    For  ix\t  perceiving  a  ftrong  Impref- 
fion  upon  our  Minds,  or  a  violent  Inclination  to  do  any  Ac- 
tion, is  a  very  different  Thing  from  perceiving   fuch  Im- 
preffions  to  be  from  the  Spirit  of  God  moving  upon  the 
Hcjcirc :  For  our  (Irong  Faith  and  Belief,  that  fuch  a  Mo- 
tion on   the  Mind  comes   from  God,    can  never  be  any 
Proof  of  iti  and  if  fuch  Impulies   and  ImprefTions  be  not 
agreeable  to  our  Reafon,  or  to  the  Revelation  of  the  Mind 
of  God  to  us,  in  his  Word,  nothing  can  be  more  danger-     < 
ous  than   conducing  ourfelves  according  to  them  ;  for  o- 
therwife,  if  we  judge   not  of  thcio  by    thcfe  Rule?,  they    f 
may  as  well  be   the  Suggtfiions  of  the  eVtl  Spirit*:  And  in 
what  Condition  muft  that  People  bt,  who  ftand   ready  to 
be  led  by  a  Man  that  conduds  himfcjf  according  to  his 
Dre.ims,   or  fome  ridiculous  and  unaccountable  Impulfes 
and  Impreffions  on  his  Mind  ?  And  that  this  is  Mr.  M^bue- 
Jidd\  Mvinaer,  is  evident  both  by  his  Life,  his  Journals 


CO 

and  his  Sermons  :  In  which,  thetndancrs  of  this  dangerous 
Turn  are  fo  many,  that  we  cannot  touch  on  more  than  a 
very  few  of  them.  From  thefe  Pieces  then  it  is  very  ev*. 
dent,  that  he  usM  to  govern  hinifelf  by  his  Dreams  j  one 
Inftance  we  have  of  this,  is  in  his  Life,  pag.  fi  Near  this 
^ime  1  dream'd  that  I  was  to  fee  Cod  on  M.  Sinai.  T'lis 
made  a  great' hnpreffton  upon  me.  Another  like  Inftance 
we  have  p.  39,  40.  I  prayed  that  God  zvou*d  open  a  Boor  to 
*vifit  the  Prijoners^.,  quickly  after  I  dreamed  that  one  of-  the 
Prifoners  cauie  to  be  inftruBed  hyine  -^  the  Bream  was  im- 
prefi^d  much  upon  my  Heart ;  in  the  Morning  I  went  to  the 
Door  of  the  Goal— Once  more,  a  like   Inftance  we   have 

pag.  43.  I  drca??i''d  I  was  talkihgwith  the  Bij/jop and  thai 

be  gave  me  fome  Gold^  which  chinked  in  my  Hands,  and 
p,  44.  The  Guineas  Chinking  in  my  Hand^  put  me  in  Mind 
of  my  Bream. 

Now  if  we  confider  thefe  Inftances,  we  muft  fuppofe 
him  condu6ling  himfelf  by  his  Dreams :  Nay,  the  Second 
looks  as  if  he  wouM  have  us  think,  that  it  was  a  divine 
Dirtdi'jn  to  him,  ns  was  that  of  the  divinely  infpir'd 
ApoftJe,  ". '  ich  caus'd  him  to  attempt  to  preach  the  Gof- 
pel  at  M.:  ■^d'}ra.  And  as  plain  it  is,  thiir  he  uiualiy 
governed  hi. n'ejf  by  fome  fudden  Impulllrs  and  |mprefliors 
on  his  Mind  ;  and  we  have  one  Inftance  that  may  fuisfy 
us,  that  his  fi.rft  fetting  out  upon  his  Icinerant  Bufincls, 
was  from  an  Endiufuftic  Turn.  Journal  from  London  tOf 
Gibraltar,  p.  3.  He  fays.  He  will  not  mention  the  Repfonx 
that perfwaded  him.,  that  it  was  the  divine  JVill  that  he  fijould 
go  abroad^  becaufe.,  they  might  not  be  deemed  good  Reafins  by 
another 'r  but  faith,  He  was  as  much  bent  as  ever  to  g!>,  tho* 
ftrongly  folliclied  to  the  Contrary,  having  rffced  direolion  from 
Heaven  about  it  for  a  Tear  and  an  half.  Orher  Inftance^ 
there  are,  wherein  he  fheys  it  to  be  his  Cuftom  to  attributi^ 
any  common  Turn  of  hi^  -Mind  <o  a  Motion  of  rhe  Holy 
Spirit  upon  bim,  without  any  more  Reafon  than  any 
■  ^  A  3  M... 


1 


CO 

Man  may,  any  Recolle<5fTons  of  his  Memory,  or  fudden 
wSuggeftions  of  his  own  Underftanding.  Such  an  one  you 
Tiave,  Journ.  from  Gibral.  to  Savan.p,  6.  I  went  to  Bed 
with  unufual  ^ho'ts  and  Convi^ionSy  that  God  wou'd  do  fome 

great   Things   at  Gibraltar :     Another,    Journ.    from 

Savann.  to  England^  p.  22.  where  he  Says,  That  the 
Leffon  before  he  left  Savannah  being  St.  Paul\  Shipwreck; 
and  that,  before  his  leaving  Charkftown  being  the  Firft  of 
Jonah,  made  fuch  a  deep  ImpreiTion  upon  him,  that  he 
wrote  to  his  Friend  to  acquaint  him,  he  was  apprehenfive  he 
fhould  have  a  dangerous  Voyage,  and  it  happening  to  be 
bad  Weather  accordingly,  he  fays,  God  hath  now  Jhewed 
me,  ivberefore  he  gave  thefe  previous  Notices,  So  thac  every 
Scripture  that  came  to  his  View,  was  recti v'd  as  the  Bath 
Kol  of  the  Jews,  and  he  plainly  fhews  himfelf  as  much  di- 
reded  by  this  Way  of  finding  out^he  Will  of  God,  as  he 
calls  ir,  as  the  old  Heathen  v/ere  by  their  Sortes  Homerci^y 
Virgiliane^  dzc.  And  of  this  we  hive  a  very  full  Inftance, 
fame  Journ.  Pag.  38.  where  you  have  a  particular  Ap- 
plication of  the  Words  which  appeared  upon  the  Dodor's 
lirft  opening  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer,  viz.  The  Lord 
hath  vifited  and  redeemed  his  People  %  vpon  which  he  wifely 
obfcrves,  [0  it  was,  for  about  8  oj  Clock  the  Men  [aw  Land, 
Sometimes  he  fpeaks  as  if  he  had  Communications  di- 
rc6l!y  from  the  Spirit  of  God,  Journ.  from  Gibral.  to 
Savann.  p.  5.  God  was  pleafed  to  Jhew  me,  it  was  not  his 
U'lll  Journ.  from  Savann.  to  TV.  £.  p.  31.  The  Power 
cf  ike  Lord  came  upon  me  :  So  alfo,  p.  38.  and  again,  p, 
68.  The  Spirit  of  the  Lord  was  upon  me:  Journ.  from 
iV.  E.  to  Falmouth  in  £;/^/.  pag.  6.  The  Lord  gav^  me  that 
Freedom  that  the  Spirit  came  down  upon  them  as  a  rujhing 
flighty  PP'ind.  Sometimes,  and  indeed  very  frequently,  he 
(in^Vnod  enthufiaftic  Manner)  applies,  even  the  hillori- 
cai  Farts  of  Scripture  particularly  to  himfelf,  and  his  own 
Aildirs;  and  this  Manner  he  endeavours  particularly  to 

vindi- 


C  7  ) 

vindicate.     Serm.  o^ Searching  tti  Scriptures^  p    246.  of 

his  Sermons.  It  is  this  Applicaiion  of -the  hijlortcal Parts 

of  Scripture  when  we  are  readings  that  mitft  render  them 
profitable  to  us,    and  appeals   to  the  Expt^rienccs  of  the 
Chriftian,  that  if  he  hath  fo  confuked  the  Word  of  God, 
he  has  been  as  plainly  direded  how  to  ad,  as  tho'  he  had 
confuked  the  Urim  and  the  Tbummim,     For  in  this  plain 
and  full  Manner,  he  fays,    p.   38.   of  his  Life,    The  holy 
Spirit  hatby  from  Time  to  Time,  let  him  into  the  Knowledge 
of  divine  Things,  and  hath  dire5fed  hi?n  in  the  minutefl  Cir^ 
cumftances.     And  no  doubt  hence  it  is  that  he  fays,  for- 
mention'd  Strm.  p.  247.  That  God,    at  all  Times,  Circum- 
fiances  and  Places,  tho*  never  fo  minute,  never  fo  particular^ 
will,  if  we  diligently  feek  the  AJJijiance  of  his  holy  Spirit,  ap- 
ply general  Things  to  our  Hearts :  Which  tho*  it  may  be  true 
in  fome  Meafure  as  to  the  dodrinal  and  preceptive  Parts 
of  Scripture,  yet  is  it  evidendy  enthufiaftical,   to  fay  fo,  as 
to  the  hiftoricai  Parts  of  it.     In  this  Manner  he  pretends 
a  Diredion  from  God  to  go  to  England  from   Savannah, 
p.  28.  of  that  Journ.      The  like  ufe  we  have  made  of 
Scripture,  p.  36.  {o  p.  42.     That  he  fhou*d  he  cajl   upon 
Karrigbolt   Ifiand,    becaufe  he  had  an    Imprefjion   upon   his 
Mtndy  as  to  what  the  Apoftle  tells  the  Mariners,  That  they 
muft  be  cafl  upon  a  certain  Ifland. 

But  we  proceed  to  mention  one  Piece  of  Enthiifiafm  of 
a  very  uncommon  Turn,  which  fhews  to  what  a  great 
Length  this  unhappy  pernicious  Difpofition  of  the  Mind 
may  carry  a  Man.  When  Pag.  32  of  his  Life,  he  pcrfo- 
nates  our  blefTed  Lord  him fc if,  when  in  his  Palfun,  fays 
he,  //  was  fuggefled  to  me,  that  when  Jrfus  cried  cut,  I 
thirji,  his  Sufferings  were  hear  at  an  end ',  upon  this  I  threw 
my  fe If  upon  the  Bed,  crying  out,  I  thirfl,  I  tbirft  :  Soon  afier 

I  felt  my  Load  go  off ,  and   knew  what  it  was  truly  to 

rejoice  in  the  Lord.      And  certainly    it  is  cafy   enough  to 
conceivej  from  what  Spirit  flich  a  «S'/,;^^r /?;>;  muil  come 

To 


(8) 

To  mention  but  one  Inftance  more,  tho'  we  arenotoFfuch 
Letter- learned  as  deny,  that  there  is  fuch  an  Union  cf  Be- 
lievers to  Chrifl:,  whereby  they  are  one  in  him^  as  the  Father 
and  he  are  One^  as  the  Evangelifl:  fpeaks,  or  rather  the  Spi- 
ric  of  God  by  him  ;  yet  fo  Letter- learned  we  are,  as  to  fay, 
that  that  PafTage  in  Mr.  W — 's  Sermon  of  the  Indwelling  of 
the  Spirit^  p,  311:  vol.  of  Sermons,  contains  the  true.Spiric 
ot  Enrhufiafln,  where  he  fays,  to  talk  of  any  having  the  Spi- 
rit of  God  without  feeling  ofit^  is  really  to  deny  the  Thing, 
Upon  which  we  fay,  That  the  Btfliever  may  have  a  Satis- 
fadlion,  that  he  hath  the  Affiftance  of  the  Spirit  of  God 
with  him^  in  fo  continual  and  regular  a  Manner,  that  he 
may  be  faid  to  dwell  in  him,  and  yet  have  no  feeling  of  it ; 
for  the  Metaphor  is  much  too  grofs  to  exprefs  this  (however 
full)  Satisfadion  of  the  Mind,  and  has  led  fome  to  take  the 
ExpreiTion  literally,  and  hath  fwe  fear)  given  great  Satis- 
fadion  to  many  an  Enthufiafl  among  us  fmce  the  Year 
1740.  from  the  fwelling  of  their  Breads  and  Stomachs  in 
their  religious  Agitations,  which  they  have  tho't  to  be 
feeling  the  Spirit^  \n  its  Operations  on  them.  But  it  is  no 
v/ay  neceffiry  ro  inflance  any  further  upon  this  Head  ;  for 
tb.e  aforefiid  Compofitions  are  full  of  thefe  Things. 

The  whole  tends  to  perfwade  the  World  ("and  it  has  done 
fo  wi'ih  refped  to  niany)  that  Mr.  fV,  hath  as  familiar  a 
Converfe  and  Communion  with  God  as  any  of  the  Prophets 
aa-.i  Apoflles,  and  fuch  as  we  all  acknowledge  to  have  been 
under  the  Infplration  of  the  Holy,  Ghoft. 

In  the  next  Place,  we  look  upon  Mr.  fV,  as  an  unchari- 
table, cep.forious  and  llanderous  Man  -,  which  indeed  is  but 
a  natural  Confcquence  of  the,  heat  of  Enthufiafm,.  by  which 
he  was  fo  evidenraily  adted  j  for  this  Diftemper  of  the 
Mind  always  puts  a  Man  into  a  vain  Conceit  of  his  own 
Worth  and  Excellency,  which  all  his  Pretences  to  Humili- 
ty will  never  hide,  as  long  as  he  evidently  fi-iews,  that  he 
would  have  the  World  think  he  hath  a  greater  Familiari- 


(9) 

ty  with  God  thnn  other  Men,  and  more  frequent  Comnm- 
nicariuns  from  his  iioly  Sjurit.  H/nce  fuch  a  Man  r^a- 
turally  aH'ufnis  an  Audiority  to  di6tare  to  others,  and  a 
Right  toduv(fl  their  Conduct  and  Opinions;  and  hence  if 
any  ad  not  according  to  his  Diiedions,  and  (he  Model  of 
Things  he  had  form*d  in  his  own  heated  Brain,  he  is  pre- 
fcntly  apt  to  run  into  flander,  and  (ligm.itize  them  as  Men 
of  no  Religion,  iinconverte<\  and  Oppojers  of  the  Spirit  of  God: 
And  that  iuch  hath  been  the  Behaviour  of  Mr.  fV.  is  aUb 
fufficientlv  evident  as  was  the  former  Head.  Hence  were 
his  monftrous  RcflcdUons  upon  the  great  and  good  Arch- 
bilhop  TiLLOTSON,  (as  Dr.  Increafe  Mather  Stiles  him) 
comparing  his  Seruions  to  tlie  conjuring  Books  which  the 
Apofties  perfwaded  the  People  to  deftroy. 

Hence  alfo  is  that  Reflexion  made  upon  Mr.Commiflliry 
Garden,  ]iy^\Tu\\  from  Sava?ia  toiV.  £.  p.22.  where  he 
fays,  he  was  obliged  totell  htjii  he  believed  he  was  an  unconver- 
ted Man.  But  what  oblig'd  him  to  tell  all  the  World  of 
it  in  his  Journal  ?  and  why  did  he  believe  fo  ?  Becaufe  (he 
faysj  all  his  Difcourfes  were  fo  inconfiflcnt  with  and  contrary 
to  the  Gofpel.  But  this  (ccnfidering  Mr.  Garden's  Cha- 
rader)  muft  be  only  accordini:  to  his  peculiar  No. ions  of 
Inconfillency.  If  the  Commiliary  were  too  fevere  upca 
Mr.  fF,  his  Spirit  might  indeed  be  naturally  irritated 
thereby  ;  but  he  ihiou'd  have  confiv^er'd,  that  it  is  no  new 
Thing,  that  true  Chriilians  fnouM  perf.^cute  (in  feme  De- 
gree) one  another.      Again,  p.    44.    He    irlinuates  in    a 

very  unchriftian  Manner,  That  Mr.  H n   ^/Newp— -c 

had  no  experimental  Knowledge  of  the  N.  Bir^h. 

The  next  Inllance  we  ihall  note,  is  the  reproachful 
Refledions  upon  the  Society  which  is  i^nmediately  under 
our  Care.  p.  SS-  Where  are  obfervable  his  Rafnnefs  and 
his  Arrogance.  His  Raflmefs,  in  publi/hing  fuch  a-. 
difadvantageous  Charader  of  Us^  viz.  Brcaufe  fome  Bed/ 
had  fo  infornVd  him,     Surely  he  ou^ht,  it  he  had/ollowcd 

B  cur 


(    iO    ) 

Our  Saviour's  Rule,  to  have  had  a  greater  Certainty  o^ 
the  Truth  of  whit  he  pubhfh\iofu3  ro  the  whole  World. 
Bun  his  Arrogance  is  more  flagrant  lliil,  that  fuch  a  young 
Man  as  he  lliould  take  upon  him  to  tell  what  Books  we 
ihou\i  allow  our  Pupils  to  read.  But  then  he  goes  fur- 
ther ftiil,  when  he  fays,  p.  g§.  both  of  l^aie  College  as 
well  as  ours,  As  for  the  Univerfiiies^  I  believe  it  may  befaidy 
Their  Light  is  now  become  Barknefs^  Darknefs  that  may  be 
fdt.  What  a  deplorable  State  of  Immorality  and  Ir- 
religion  has  he  hereby  reprefcnted  Us  to  be  in !  And  as 
this'is  a  mod  wicked  and  libellous  FalOiood  (at  leaft  as  to 
cur  ColKgej  as  fuch  we  charge  it  upon  him.  But  why  doth 
he  fay  thus  ?  Why,  becaufe  this  is  complained  of  by  the  moji 
godly  Mirdjlers  Here  we  are  at  a  Lofs  to  think  who:n  he 
means  by  the  moJl  godly  Minijlers,  Certainly  not  the  Rev. 
Gentlemen  of  the  Town  of  Bofton  (with  whom  neverthelefs 
he  was  moft  acqu^iinted)  for  they  are  in  the  Government  of 
the  College,  have  afiided  in  making  the  Laws  by  which  it 
is  governed,  and  conftantly  vifit  us  by  a  Committee,  and 
themfelves  four  Tinies  in  a  Year,  and  make  Examination 
how  die  Laws  are  executed.  Befides,  we  don't  know  that 
he  hath  been  plcas'd  to  allow  to  any  one  of  them  any  fuch 
religious  Charadler,  in  any  one  of  his  Journals,  as  fhould 
make  us  think  ue  means  them,  but  rather  the  reverfe.  Vid. 
p.  ']6  of  his  Journal  from  iV.  E. 

But  we  Ihall  finifh  this  Head  of  his  Cenforioufnefs^ 
when  we  have  mention'd  his  pernicious  Reflexions  upon 
the  Minifteps  of  the  Churches  in  this  Land.  We  fay  this 
Land',  for  it  is  far  from  a  torturing  of  the  Words,  to  fup« 
pofe  he  diredly  means  them,  when  he  fays,  p.  70.  He  is 
feyfwadcd  the  geni^^alily  of  Preachers  talk  of  an  mknozvn 
mfelt  Chrift ;  thp'  he  hath  evafively  faid  (fince  he  came 
this  time;  that  he  did  not  refkain  the  Expreffion  to  the  Minify 
%ers  of  N.  England,  tho'  he  did  not  exclude  them.  Admira- 
bly futisfadory  this  Explanation !  Bui;  he  can't  come  0^  fo 


C    XI    ) 

eafily  in  the  Refltdion  he  makes  upon  our  Minidcrs, 
f,  95.  Mciny^  nay  7no(l  ptrbaps  that  preachy  I  fear  ^  do  not 

cxperimeHtally  kno-w  Chrifi Is  it  poiTible  ht-   ihould  fay, 

this  is  no  Charge  upnn  the  Miniflers  of  thcfc  Churches? 
It  is  true,  it  is  not  fo  in  Form  \  but  is  it  not  one  o\  tl.e  mod 
uncharitable  Things  he  cou'd  have  done,  to  maniieft  thefe 
his  Fears  to  all  the  World,  v/ithout  Ground  ?  Without 
Ground,  we  fay  ;  for  as  to  the  greatefl:  Part  of  them  by  far, 
their  ConverfatJon  is  as  becomes  ihe  Golpel,  and  we  may 
challenge  him  and  all  the  World  "to  fhew  the  contrary. 

And  now  let  the  Worl.i  judge,  if  we  h  we  noc  the  higheft 
Realon  to  vx  Mr.  W.  as  an  unchantahle^  cenforious  and 
fianderous  Mm;  that  he  has  been  guiiry  of  grds  B"cachts 
of  the  Ninth  Comtnand  of  the  mora!  Law,  and  an  evident 
difregard  to  the  Laws  of  Chriftian  Chanty,  as  they  are  deli- 
vered to  us  in  the  N.  Teftament.  And  now  is  it  poffible 
that  we  fhould  not  look  upon  him  as  the  blmieable  Caufe 
of  all  the  Qiiarrels  on  the  Account  ol  Religion,  which  the 
Churches  are  now  engaged  in  ?  and  this  not  only  on  account 
of  his  own  Behaviour  •,  but  alfo  as  the  coming  of  thofe  hot 
Men  amongfl  us  afterwards  (who,  together  with  the  Ex- 
hcrters  that  accompanied  them,  cultivatv-d  the  fame  uncha- 
ritable Difp 'fition  in  our  ChurchesJ  was  wholly  owing  to 
his  Influence  and  Ex^miple.  So  that  all  the  Errors,  Con- 
fufions  and  QuarreJs  that  our  Churches  are  now  in,  are  ow- 
ing to  to  this  cenforious,  moil  unchriilian  Carriage  and  Dif- 
pnfition  ',  and  it  is,  to  us,  a  very  marvellous  Thing,  v/hta 
fuch  Behaviour  as  Mr.  ^.  &c.  have  ufed,  is  plainly  and 
dirediy  contr..ry  to  the  moral  Law,  and  ail  the  Rules  of 
Chriilianiry,  that  the  People,  in  general,  fhould  not  be  able 
to  fee  it. 

Again,  We  think  it  highly  proper  to  bear  our  Teftimo- 
ny  againft  Mr.7F.  as  vve  look  upon  him  a  D finder  of  t}?s 
People,  How  he  defigns  to  manage  in  this  A  flair  now, 
we  know  not  ^  bJiC  we  me^'.n,  that  he  hath  much  deluded 

B  .1  them, 


them,  and  therefore  fuppofe  we  have  Rcnfon  in  this  refpeifl  to  guard 
againd  him.  And  here  we  mean  more  cfpccially  as  to  the  Coliedions 
of  Money,  which,  when  here  before,  by  an  extraordinary  mendicant 
faculty,  he  ahnoft  extorted  from  the  People.  As  the  Argument  he  then 
ufed  was,  the  Support  and  Education  cf  his  dear  Lomhj  at  the  Orphan- 
Haufe,  who  (he  told  u.%  he  hop'd)  might  in  Time  preach  I  he  Gofpel  to 
lis  or  our  Children  ;  fo  it  is  not  to  be  doub{;ed,  thnt  the.  People  were 
greatly  encourngcd  to  give  him  largely  of  their  Subftance,  fuppofing 
they  v/crc  to  be  under  the  immediate  Tuition  and  lollruftion  of 
himfelf,  as  he  then  mice  them  to  believe  ;  and  had  not  this  been  their 
Thj't,  it  is,  to  us,  without  all  Peradventure,  they  would  ntver  have 
been  perfwaded  to  any  cotifiderable  Contribution  upon  that  Head  ;  and 
this,  notwithftanding,  he  hath  fcarce  feen  them  for  thefe  four  Years  ; 
and  befides  hath  left  the  Care  of  them  with  a  Perfon,  whom  thefe 
Contributors  know  nothing  of,  and  we  ourfelves  have  Rcafon  to 
believe  is  little  better  than  a  i^fuke'-  ;  fo  that  in  this  Regard  we  think 
the  People  have  been  greatly  deceiv'd. 

Furthermore,  the  Account  which  Mf  TV.  hith  given  the  World  of 
ills  Difburfement  of  the  fcveral  Contributions,  for  the  ufe  of  his  Orphan 
Houfe  (wherein  there  are  fcveral  large  Articles,  and  fome  ofabout 
a  Thoufanid  Pounds,  our  Currency,  charg'd  in  a  very  fummary  Way,  'viz. 
For  fundries,  no  Mention  being  made  therein  what  the  Sum  was  ex- 
pended for,  nor  to  whom  it  was  paid)  is  by  no  means  f.itisfH<![\ory.  And 
as   we  have  fo  much  Reafon    to    be  difVatisficd  with    the  Man,  fo  ^e 

thinks 

Secondly,  We  have  as  much  Reafon  to  diflike  and  bear  Teftlmony 
againlt  the  Manner  of  his  Preaching  ;  and  this  in  Two  refpefts,  both  as 
an  Extempore  and  as  an   Itinerant  Preacher. 

And  firrt,  as  to  his  extempore  Manner  of  preaching  ;  this  we  think  by 
n^  means  proper,  for  tliU  it  is  impcinble  thit  any  Man  fliould  be  able 
to  man.'igt:  any  Argument  with  that  Strength,  or  any  Inftrufition  with 
thu  Ckarncfs  in  an  extempore  Manr.cr,  as  he  may  with  Study  and  Me- 
ditation. Lefides:.  it  is  obfervable  th.it  your  (fJvZ/'w/orr  Preachers  give 
ws  aimoft  always  the  fame  Things  in  the  npolic;itory  ?i\rt  of  their  Ser- 
mons, fo  that  it  is  often  very  little  akit>  to  their  Text,  which  is  jull  o- 
penM  in  a  curforv,  and  nr,t  feldom  in  a  perverted  Manner,  and  then 
comes  the  fame  kind  of  Harangue  which  they  have  often  u led  before, 
as  an  /Application;  fo  that  this  is  a  moll  lazy  "Manner,  and  the  Prea- 
cher offers  chat  which  coil  him  nothing,  and  is  accordingly  little  In- 
ilruftive  to  (lie  Mind,  and  Hill  lefs  cogent  to  the  teafonable  Powers. 
Now  Mr.  IV.  evidently  Ibows,  that  he  would  have  us  believe  his 
Dilcuurfes  are  extempore ,  and  indeed  from  thuRailmcfe  pf  jocic  of  his 

Exprcf- 


'^Mitm 


f 


Expreflons,  as  well  as  from  the  dangerous  Errors  vented  in  them,  it  is 
very  likely  :  Hence,  no  doubt,  were  the  m  my  ungiiiirtleJ  Expre^ioni 
in  his  Sermons  when  he  was  here  before  ;  antj  fince  he  has  come  again, 
he  hath  told  us,  *'  Tiiat  Chriil  loves  unregenerate  Sinners  w'lth^Liiit 
"  of  Complacency  :"  Nay,  he  hath  gone  rather  further,  and  faid,  **  7hat 
**  G Oil  loves  Sinners  as  Si'ffners  ;  which,  jf  it  be  not  an  unguarded  Ex- 
prelhon,  muft  be  a  thoufiind  times  worfe  :  For  we  cannot  look  upon  it 
as  much  lefs  than  Blafphcmy,  and  (hows  him  to  be  fironger  in  the 
Jntinomian  Scheme  than  moft  of  the  Profeflbrs  of  that  Herefy  them- 
felves;  and  that  this  is  not  unlikely,  is  to  be  fufpcfted,  bccaufe  the  Ex- 
preffion  was  repeated,  and  when  he  was  tax'd  with  it,  by  a  certain 
Gentleman,  he  made  no  Retradations. 

But  lajilyy  We  think  it  ogr  Duty  to  bear  our  ftrongeft  Teftimony 
againft  that  Itinerant  Way  of  preaching  which  this  Gfntlemnn  was  th« 
iirft  promoter  of  among  us,  and  ftill  delights  to  continue  in  :  For  if 
we  had  nothing  againft  the  Man^  either  as  jin  Enthujia/l,  an  uachari- 
tuble  or  delujive  rcrfon,  yet  we  apprehend  this  Itinerant  Manner  of 
preaching  to  be  of  the  wont  and  moft  pernicipM?  Tendency. 


Now  by  an  Itinerant  Preacher,   we   underhand   One  that  hath  no  [ 

particular  Charge  of  his  own,  but  goes  about  from  Country  to  Country, 
or  from  Town  to  Town,  in  any  Country,  and  ftands  ready  to  Preach 
to  any  Congrt gition  that  (h^il  caH  htm  to  it  \    and  fuch  an  one  is  Mr.  ' 

W.  for  it  is  but  trifling  for  him  to  fa)  (as  w?  hear  he  hath)  That  he  \ 

requires  in  order  to  his  preaching  any   where,   that   the  MiniUer  alfo  \ 

fhouhl  invite  him  to  it ;  i^^r  he  knows  the  Populace  have  fuch   aii  Itch  \ 

after  him,  that  when  they  generally  dcfire   it,  the   Minifter  (however  ■ 

diverfe  from  their's,  his  own  Sentiments  may  br )  will  always  be  in   the  \ 

utmort  Danger  of  his  People's  quarrelling  with,  if  not  departing  from  , 

him,  Oiou'd  he  not  conft.nt  to  their  impetuous  Defires.  Now  as  it  is 
plain,  no  Man  will  find  much  Bufinefs  as  ap    Itinerant   Preacher,  who  j 

hath  not  fomtthing  in  his  Manner,  that  is  (however  trifling,  yea,  and  i 

erroneous  too.  ytt)  very  taking  and   agr^eablp  to  the  People;  fo   whcln  j 

ihis  is  the  Cafe,  as  we  have  lately  unhappily  feen  it,  it  is  then   in  hU    "^        j 
l^ow^r  to  raife  the  People  to  any  Dcgrcj?  of  Warmth  he  pleafcs,  where-  j 

by  they  iland  ready   to  receive  almoll  any   Doctrine  he  is  pi^afcd   to  ^ 

broach  j  as  hatli  been  the  Cafe  as  to  all  the  Itinerant  Preachers  wha  \ 

have  followed  Mr.  W\.  Example,  and  thrurt  tJiemfelves  into  Town 
and  Pariflies,  to  the  Deftrudion  of  all  Peace  and  Order,  whereby  they 
have  to  the  great  impo^erifhment  of  the  Community,  taken  the  Peop!. 
from  their  VVork  and  Bufmefs,  to  attend  their  Lcftures  and  Exhoria 
tionsj  always  fraught  with  EBthufi^fm,  au  1  other  pernicious  Error.. 

But 


But,  nvhich  ii  nxmfe,  and  it  is  the  natural  EffeSl  of  thefe  Things,  the 
People  have  been  thence  ready  to  defpife  their  own  Minifters,  and 
their  ufefulnefs  among  them,  in  too  many  Places,  hath  been  almoll 
deftroy'do 

Indeed,  if  there  were  any  thing  leading  to  this  manner  of  Manage- 
ment in  the  Direftions  and  Inftrudions  given,  either  by  our  Saviour 
or  h  s  Apoftlcs,  we  ought  to  be  filent,  and  fo  wou'd  a  Man  oC  any  Mo- 
dcHy,  if  (on  the  other  hand)  there  be  nothing  in  the  N.  Teftament 
leading  to  it.  And  furely  Mr.  fV.  will  not  have  the  Face  to 
pretend  he  a£ls  now  as  an  E'-vangeli(i,  tho*  he  Teems  to  prepare 
for  it  in  Journ.  from  N,E.  to  Falmouth  in  England,  p.  12.  where 
he  fays,  God  feems  to  fheixi  me  it  is  my  Duty  to  Enjangeli'ze,  and 
not  to  fix  in  any  particular  Place  :  For  the  Daty  of  tnnt  Officer  cer- 
tainly was  not  to  go  preaching  of  his  ow.>  Head  from  one  Church  to 
another,  where  Officers  were  alreadv  fetrleu,  and  th<'  Gofpel  fully  and 
faithfully  preached.  And  it  is  withoui  O  ubt,  that  the  Mind  and  Will 
of  Chriil,  vvith  refpeft  to  the  Orde?  of  his  lurches,  and  the  Bufmefs 
of  his  Minifters  in  them,  is  plaif-ly  enough  to  be  underftood  in  the 
N.  Teftament ;  and  yet  Mr.  ^^.  his  taid  of  itr,  ia  one  of  his  Ser- 
mons, he  thinks  that  an  Itinerant  Manner  of  preaching  may  be  very 
convenient  for  the  furtherance  of  the  ^ood  of  the  Churrhes,  if  it  were 
under  a  good  Regulation.  Now  we  are  apt  to  imngine,  if  furh  an 
Officer  wou'd  have  been  ufeful,  Chrift  himlelf  wou'd  have  appointed 
him  J  and  therefore  (under  Favour)  this  is  to -^^  fivi/e  ahve  nvhat  is 
'written,  and  fuppofes  either  that  our  Lord  did  not  know,  or  that  he 
negleaed  to  appoint  all  fuch  Officers  in  the  Miniihv,  as  wou'd  further 
itn  the  bcft  manner  the  Truths  of  the  Gofpel :  And  it  is  from  fuch 
Wjfdom  as  this,  that  all  the  Errors  of  Popery  have  come  into  the 
Chrijiian  Churchy  while  the  Direftions  of  llie  Word  of  God  were  not 
ftridly  adhered  to,  but  one  tho't  this  Way  or  that  Ceremony  wss  very 
convenient  and  figniftcant,  and  anorher  another,  til!  they  have  drefs'd 
up  the  Church  in  fuch  a  monftrous  heap  of  Appendages,  that  at  this 
Bay  it  can  hardly  be  difcern*d  to  be  a  Church  of  Chrift. 

And  DOW.  upon  the  wJioIe,  having,  we  think,  made  it  evident  to 
every  ore  that  is  not  prejudic'd  on  his  Side  (for  fuch  as  are  fo,  we  have 
little  hope  to  convince)  that  Mi  PP'.  is  chargeable  with  that  Enthuftnfm, 
Lenfcrioufnejs  and  delufive  Management  that  we  have  tax'd  him  with  j 
and  fince  alfo  lie  feems  refolv'd  fdr  that  Itinerant  Way  of  preaching, 
which  we  think  fo  deilrudive  to  the  Peace  of  the  Churches  of  Chri.'t  ; 
wt.  cannot  but  bear  our  faithful  TelUmonv  againfl  hirn,  as  a  Perfon 
very  unfit  to  preach  about  as  he  has  done  Wretofcrc,  3.nd  as  he?  ha'^ 
i?ow  begun  to  do,  ;^u^ 


'^ 


C  'J  ) 

And  we  wouM  earneftly,  and  with  all  due  refpedV,  recommend  it  to 
the  Rev.  Pallors  of  thefe  Churches  of  Chrift,  to  advife  wiih  each  other 
in  their  fevfr.il  Aflbciations,  and  confider  whether  it  be  not  high  Time 
to  make  a  Hand  againll  the  Mifchiefs,  which  we  have  here  fuggeiled  a? 
coming  upon  the  Churches. 


Harvard  College y  Dec,  28.  1744. 


Edward  Holyoke,  Preftdent, 

Henry  Flynt,  Tut,  &  Soc, 

Edward  Wigglesworth,  5^^.  & .S.  jT.  P.  Holliff. 

JuDAH  MoNis,  Inflr.  Hehr, 

Belcher  Hancock,  Tut. 

Joseph  Mayhew,  Tut.  &  Soc, 

Thomas  Marsh,  Tut. 

John  Winthrop,  Math.  Sc  Phil.  Nat,  Prof.  Holllff. 


mmh' 


^^^##e######^^*##^ 


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